Furyumonji

Kusen by Taisen Deshimaru Roshi

Theological and spiritual speeches and theories (which exist as much
in Buddhism as in Christianity) express nothing more than a total loss of
wisdom.

There are no fewer than 15,000 existing sutras. Certain masters boast
about the number of sutras they've read or even reread. These people are
crazy. Reading just a third of all these sutras is largely sufficient. Even
that's difficult.

Hearing them count their sutras, you'd think you were in a bank or in
a company during their profitability review. If a bank employee counts thousands
of francs every day, he is not going to get a raise at the end of the month
as a consequence. Accumulating large quantities of sutras is no more effective.
When it comes to true Buddhism, if you have deep understanding of the Hannya
Shingyo, that's enough.

Nowadays, government and educational leaders base everything on intellect
and rationalism. Intuition, being in harmony with the cosmic order and the
meaning of real values have been lost. Either robotic, heartless logic governs
the world, or there is too much piety, too much leniency, and too much indulgence.
We have completely lost the sense of the right path, the right practice.

The insane don't know they're insane. In the same way, you don't know
that you're God or Buddha. You can only understand this from within yourself,
not from outside. You are aware of the fundamental cosmic power. You make
yourself aware of yourself. You unconsciously understand your own inner
nature. Dogen criticized teachers who sought awareness and satori outside
themselves. This can only lead to idolatry and other similar heresies.

Statues are important for ceremonies and rituals. However, you must not
consider a statue of Buddha as the real Buddha. There's no objective Buddha
or outside God on the other side. There is a subjective Buddha or God inside
of ourselves.

We are not born, nor do we die. If we never felt doubt, it wouldn't be
necessary to have satori. Complete understanding with the entire body is
objective satori. The essence of Buddha's teaching explains that you don't
have to think about where you were born or where you go when you die. The
past and the future are not important. The true Buddha is there, inside
yourself, close by.

Everyone thinks about their life in the future and what it will be like.
They cut themselves off from the reality of their present life. What is
real in our lives? Existence is here and now. The past and future do not
exist now, but the present moment includes the past and future.

Our lives are not just material. They have no form. They don't exist
in a set place. They freely evolve everywhere. They are not attached to
a place or a period of time. They are an existence which goes beyond time
and space.